Wagon wheel and axle



(No- Model.)

G. NORTON.

, WAGON WHEEL AND AXLE. No. 246,334. Patented Aug. 30,1881.

llaman' @raras Arent rricn.

CORYDON NORTON, OF ALBION, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO ISAAC OPPENHEIMER,OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

' WAGON WHEEL AND AxLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,334, dated August30, 1881.

Application filed December 11, 1880.

To all `whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GORYDON NORTON, a citizen ofthe United States,resident of Albion, in the county of Erie and State of Pennu sylvania,have invented a new and usef'ul Improvement in Tagen heels and Axles;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention relates to the construction of' wagon wheels and axles, andit consists in providing the improvements hereinafter fully describedand claimed. v

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, as follows: Figure lis a vertical longitudinal section of the hub and thimblcs, the axlebeing in elevation. Fig. 2 is an elevation View from the front of thehub, with the flange d removed. Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the collar G on the axle and its attaching-arm C. Fig. 4 isan end View of the hub without showing the spokes orfiange, and with thesecuring-nuts and washers removed.

The hub consists ot' a body, D, with iiange d, formed of one piece ot'cast metal. Said lange is thick, and has sockets formed therein toreceive the ends of the spokes, the form of which is shown in Fig. 2,and is such that the said sockets are narrowed midway between theperiphery of the ange and the body or shell of the hub, giving an inwardand an outward dovetail flare or angle, and forming a dovetail at thein'ner end of the socket. These sockets are all open on the side, andthe spokes are set into them sidewise. A movable flange, d', completesthe hub. This sets against the open side of the spoke-sockets, and isiirmly secured there by bolts F. The spokes may be set in their socketswith white lead or other cement, as desired.

If a spoke should be broken and it is desired to replace it, it can bedone by removing the ilange cl. lf the hub should be broken, the

spokes can be driven out and reset in a new hub without disturbing therim of the wheel.

A is an iron or steel axle, and A is the part thereof which enters thehub. B is the wood which commonly caps the iron part of the axle. Theaxle A A is made square throughout its (No model.)

length, except the screwthreaded nipple A at the'end.

C is a collar, and is made with an arm, O', extending therefrom, bywhich it is attached firmly at the proper point to serve as a shoulder.This attachment is made by a bolt or by the clip, or by both. Thiscollar forms the shoulder against which the inner end of the hub abuts.It and its arm O are of one piece ot' metal, preferably malleableizedcast-iron. The arm C', besides serving to hold the collar in place, alsoserves as a splint on the axle, giving it additional strength at a pointwhere the greatest strain comes upon it. The journal for the hub isformed by putting a thimble or thimbles on the part A ofthe axle. Theobject of this is to get as large a bearing-surface as possible andstill use a small axle, and also to be able to change the position ofthe thimble when one side becomes worn.

In Fig. 1 I show two thimbles,`G and H, of which G is of wood and His ofmetal. The thimble Gr is properly a core, and it serves to obviate theuse ofso much iron as to give too much weight. It may, however, bedispensed with and the thimble H be made to till the whole space. ltsuse, however, will be found desirable, especially in large vehicles. Thepart A ofthe axle is square, and the opening through the thimble issquare; hence the thim ble cannot revolve, but when worn by use on Oneside it can be turned by removing and replacingit to as to presentanunworn partat the bearing-point. There are two nuts used on the nippleA. The nut N holds the thimble in piace, and is only unscrewed when itis de.- sired to remove the thimble. The wheel is held in place by thewasher W and the nut N', the washer W being made to tit over the nut N.

.I am aware that a collar and strap similar in appearance to the collarO shown by me has been used, (see Patent No. 73,340,) and in so far asthe device serves to strengthen the axle at that point I claim nothing;but their use upon an axle which is square throughout and has itsjournalformed by a thimble slipped on is a new and useful combination.

I am also aware that a wooden core or fillet has been used in theconstruction of iron hubs,

(see Patent No. 153,3845) but such a use has no relation to the use of acore or fillet ot" Wood in the construction of the axle-journal, whichconstitutes my invention in that respect.

I am also aware that a hub has been made having spoke-sockets shaped thesame as I here show and placed alternately on opposite sides of a iiangeextending' from the shell of the hub 5 and this Ido notclaim; no1` do Iclaim simply a hub having sockets for spokes arranged in the samevertical plane and having a removable ange to hold them in place, asthat form of hub is old, but

Vhat I claim as new is- 1. A wagon-wheel hub consisting of a sheet orbody and flange d, of one piece of metal, said iange l havingdouble-dovetailed spokesockets formed in the innerl side thereof, incombination with the movable ange d' and bolts F, substantially as setforth.

2. The axle A A', the partA' heilig squared, as described, incombination with thimble H, having,` a squared opening for said part A',and the collar C, with attaching arm or strap C', substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination, with the axle A A', of the thimble H and wooden.core G, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the axle A A' and hub D, of the thimble II, nutN, washer XV, and nut N', substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I, the said CORYDON NORTON, have hereunto set myhand.

CORYDON NORTON.

Witnesses:

JNO. K. HALLOCK, ISAAC OPPENHEIMER.

